Cowboy Duel


Inventor	Petar Barlov
micro:bit IDE	MakeCode Editor
Best Location	Makerspace

Difficulty


Hardware	Easy
Software	Hard

Special Requirement


3D Printer	Recommended

Project Overview

As a kid, I always enjoyed cowboy movies; they were thrilling. I even got to play some high-quality cowboy games (“Red Dead Redemption”, for example). My favorite moment was always the standoff when two cowboys dueled at high noon.

One thing that disappointed me is, when I talk to others about it, nobody in Serbia seems to know anything about cowboys at all. So, I decided to make a project based on cowboys and show them what they have been missing.

Build Instruction

There are no specific build instruction for this project. However, if you would like, you can print the toy pistol using 3D printer. You could install the STL file from here.

Code

There are three main parts to this program: player 1 side and player 2 side

The 'on logo pressed' and on 'start' blocks represents the ready system. First, it sets all variables to 0 and the radio group (server) to 5. It also has a variable “Random” which is a timer for the beginning phase. When the logo is pressed, it sets the “Ready” variable to 1 (or to 0 if it’s already 1) and sends values “Ready” and “Random” to the receiver.

When a player 2 receives the variables, it equalizes the “Random” value and it checks whether the other player is ready, and it begins the game with the “Start” variable.

The forever block represents the main game operation. Firstly, it checks whether the “Start” the variable is “activated” (equal to 1), it displays a dot and starts playing the suspense melody. Then, it waits the “Random” amount of time and plays the sound signal to move on to action phase.

Detail operating instruction is provided next section.

Player 1 code

Block Code
Python
Js

Cowboy Duel
def on_received_string(receivedString):
    global start
    if receivedString == "start":
        start = 1
    if receivedString == "win":
        basic.clear_screen()
        basic.show_leds("""
            # . # . #
            # . # . #
            # . # . #
            # . # . #
            . # . # .
            """)
    if receivedString == "loose":
        basic.clear_screen()
        basic.show_leds("""
            . # . . .
            . # . . .
            . # . . .
            . # . . .
            . # # # .
            """)
    if receivedString == "tie":
        basic.clear_screen()
        basic.show_string("TIE")
radio.on_received_string(on_received_string)

# Start Game by touching the sensor

def on_logo_pressed():
    global ready
    # Preventing from interaput during the game
    if not (ready):
        basic.show_icon(IconNames.YES)
        ready = 1
        radio.send_value("random", randSec)
        radio.send_value("ready", ready)
    else:
        basic.clear_screen()
        ready = 0
input.on_logo_event(TouchButtonEvent.PRESSED, on_logo_pressed)

measurement = 0
currentTime = 0
once = False
randSec = 0
start = 0
ready = 0
spikerbit.start_muscle_recording()
radio.set_group(5)
ready = 0
start = 0
randSec = Math.round(randint(5, 10))
timeLimit = 3000
reactionTime = timeLimit
threshold = 20
# When 'start' changed to 1, game starts

def on_forever():
    global once, currentTime, measurement, reactionTime, start, ready
    if start == 1:
        basic.show_leds("""
            . . . . .
            . . . . .
            . . # . .
            . . . . .
            . . . . .
            """)
        # Playing music for randSecised time (syched with opponent)
        music.play(music.string_playable("C5 B A G F E D C ", 120),
            music.PlaybackMode.LOOPING_IN_BACKGROUND)
        basic.pause(randSec * 1000)
        music.stop_melody(MelodyStopOptions.ALL)
        # Triger the sound for shooting
        music.play(music.string_playable("C5 C5 C5 C5 C5 C5 C5 C5 ", 120),
            music.PlaybackMode.IN_BACKGROUND)
        basic.show_leds("""
            # . . . #
            . # . # .
            . . # . .
            . # . # .
            # . . . #
            """)
        once = True
        currentTime = control.millis()
        while control.millis() < currentTime + timeLimit:
            measurement = spikerbit.muscle_power_signal()
            if measurement > threshold and once:
                reactionTime = control.millis() - currentTime
                once = False
            basic.pause(0)
        radio.send_value("opponent", reactionTime)
        # Stop the game
        start = 0
        ready = 0
basic.forever(on_forever)

Cowboy Duel
radio.onReceivedString(function on_received_string(receivedString: string) {
    
    if (receivedString == "start") {
        start = 1
    }
    
    if (receivedString == "win") {
        basic.clearScreen()
        basic.showLeds(`
            # . # . #
            # . # . #
            # . # . #
            # . # . #
            . # . # .
            `)
    }
    
    if (receivedString == "loose") {
        basic.clearScreen()
        basic.showLeds(`
            . # . . .
            . # . . .
            . # . . .
            . # . . .
            . # # # .
            `)
    }
    
    if (receivedString == "tie") {
        basic.clearScreen()
        basic.showString("TIE")
    }
    
})
//  Start Game by touching the sensor
input.onLogoEvent(TouchButtonEvent.Pressed, function on_logo_pressed() {
    
    //  Preventing from interaput during the game
    if (!ready) {
        basic.showIcon(IconNames.Yes)
        ready = 1
        radio.sendValue("random", randSec)
        radio.sendValue("ready", ready)
    } else {
        basic.clearScreen()
        ready = 0
    }
    
})
let measurement = 0
let currentTime = 0
let once = false
let randSec = 0
let start = 0
let ready = 0
spikerbit.startMuscleRecording()
radio.setGroup(5)
ready = 0
start = 0
randSec = Math.round(randint(5, 10))
let timeLimit = 3000
let reactionTime = timeLimit
let threshold = 20
//  When 'start' changed to 1, game starts
basic.forever(function on_forever() {
    
    if (start == 1) {
        basic.showLeds(`
            . . . . .
            . . . . .
            . . # . .
            . . . . .
            . . . . .
            `)
        //  Playing music for randSecised time (syched with opponent)
        music.play(music.stringPlayable("C5 B A G F E D C ", 120), music.PlaybackMode.LoopingInBackground)
        basic.pause(randSec * 1000)
        music.stopMelody(MelodyStopOptions.All)
        //  Triger the sound for shooting
        music.play(music.stringPlayable("C5 C5 C5 C5 C5 C5 C5 C5 ", 120), music.PlaybackMode.InBackground)
        basic.showLeds(`
            # . . . #
            . # . # .
            . . # . .
            . # . # .
            # . . . #
            `)
        once = true
        currentTime = control.millis()
        while (control.millis() < currentTime + timeLimit) {
            measurement = spikerbit.musclePowerSignal()
            if (measurement > threshold && once) {
                reactionTime = control.millis() - currentTime
                once = false
            }
            
            basic.pause(0)
        }
        radio.sendValue("opponent", reactionTime)
        //  Stop the game
        start = 0
        ready = 0
    }
    
})

Player 2 code

Block Code
Python
Js

Cowboy Duel
def on_received_value(name, value):
    global randSec, start
    # Checking both reaction time
    # Then show and send the result
    if name == "random":
        randSec = value
    elif name == "ready":
        radio.send_string("start")
        start = 1
    elif name == "opponent":
        basic.clear_screen()
        if reactionTime < value:
            basic.show_leds("""
                # . # . #
                # . # . #
                # . # . #
                # . # . #
                . # . # .
                """)
            radio.send_string("loose")
        elif reactionTime > value:
            basic.show_leds("""
                . # . . .
                . # . . .
                . # . . .
                . # . . .
                . # # # .
                """)
            radio.send_string("win")
        else:
            radio.send_string("tie")
            basic.show_string("TIE")
    else:
        basic.show_string("ERROR: Unknown radio recieved")

radio.on_received_value(on_received_value)

ready = 0
measurement = 0
currentTime = 0
once = False
start = 0
randSec = 0
reactionTime = 0
spikerbit.start_muscle_recording()
radio.set_group(5)
timeLimit = 3000
reactionTime = timeLimit
threshold = 20
# When 'start' changed to 1, game starts

def on_forever():
    global once, currentTime, measurement, reactionTime, start, ready
    if start == 1:
        basic.show_leds("""
            . . . . .
            . . . . .
            . . # . .
            . . . . .
            . . . . .
            """)
        # Playing music for randomised time (syched with opponent)
        music.play(music.string_playable("C5 B A G F E D C ", 120),
            music.PlaybackMode.LOOPING_IN_BACKGROUND)
        basic.pause(randSec * 1000)
        music.stop_melody(MelodyStopOptions.ALL)
        # Triger the sound for shooting
        music.play(music.string_playable("C5 C5 C5 C5 C5 C5 C5 C5 ", 120),
            music.PlaybackMode.IN_BACKGROUND)
        basic.show_leds("""
            # . . . #
            . # . # .
            . . # . .
            . # . # .
            # . . . #
            """)
        once = True
        currentTime = control.millis()
        while control.millis() < currentTime + timeLimit:
            measurement = spikerbit.muscle_power_signal()
            if measurement > threshold and once:
                reactionTime = control.millis() - currentTime
                once = False
            basic.pause(0)
        # Stop the game
        start = 0
        ready = 0
basic.forever(on_forever)

Cowboy Duel
radio.onReceivedValue(function on_received_value(name: string, value: number) {
    
    //  Checking both reaction time
    //  Then show and send the result
    if (name == "random") {
        randSec = value
    } else if (name == "ready") {
        radio.sendString("start")
        start = 1
    } else if (name == "opponent") {
        basic.clearScreen()
        if (reactionTime < value) {
            basic.showLeds(`
                # . # . #
                # . # . #
                # . # . #
                # . # . #
                . # . # .
                `)
            radio.sendString("loose")
        } else if (reactionTime > value) {
            basic.showLeds(`
                . # . . .
                . # . . .
                . # . . .
                . # . . .
                . # # # .
                `)
            radio.sendString("win")
        } else {
            radio.sendString("tie")
            basic.showString("TIE")
        }
        
    } else {
        basic.showString("ERROR: Unknown radio recieved")
    }
    
})
let ready = 0
let measurement = 0
let currentTime = 0
let once = false
let start = 0
let randSec = 0
let reactionTime = 0
spikerbit.startMuscleRecording()
radio.setGroup(5)
let timeLimit = 3000
reactionTime = timeLimit
let threshold = 20
//  When 'start' changed to 1, game starts
basic.forever(function on_forever() {
    
    if (start == 1) {
        basic.showLeds(`
            . . . . .
            . . . . .
            . . # . .
            . . . . .
            . . . . .
            `)
        //  Playing music for randomised time (syched with opponent)
        music.play(music.stringPlayable("C5 B A G F E D C ", 120), music.PlaybackMode.LoopingInBackground)
        basic.pause(randSec * 1000)
        music.stopMelody(MelodyStopOptions.All)
        //  Triger the sound for shooting
        music.play(music.stringPlayable("C5 C5 C5 C5 C5 C5 C5 C5 ", 120), music.PlaybackMode.InBackground)
        basic.showLeds(`
            # . . . #
            . # . # .
            . . # . .
            . # . # .
            # . . . #
            `)
        once = true
        currentTime = control.millis()
        while (control.millis() < currentTime + timeLimit) {
            measurement = spikerbit.musclePowerSignal()
            if (measurement > threshold && once) {
                reactionTime = control.millis() - currentTime
                once = false
            }
            
            basic.pause(0)
        }
        //  Stop the game
        start = 0
        ready = 0
    }
    
})

Operating Instructions

To begin with, place ground electrode back of hand, and two other electrodes inner muscle of forearm.

Now, the question is how does “Cowboy Duel” work? Here is the order of operation:

Ready system- Before the game starts, both players confirm they are ready. Then player 1 press the golden logo on the micro:bit. The LED display will show a checkmark when pressed properly.
Beginning phase- After both players confirm they are ready, the display will show a dot and the beginning phase starts. Suspenseful music will start playing and all you need to do is focus and wait for the sound signal.
Sound signal- After a certain amount of time (between 5 and 20 seconds) a sound signal will play and the display will show “X”, which is a sign to shoot.
Action phase- After the sound signal, players point the gun at the other player and press the trigger as hard as possible; so that the proper muscle motion would occur and detected by EMG. The player that “shoots” first will see a “W” on their display (winner), and others will see an “L” (loser). “Cowboy Duel” went through a major design change. At first, it was meant to be just a micro:bit held in one hand, and the other hand would be finger guns. This could be much more fun, so I added a 3D-printed gun with a micro:bit on top.

DDDUEL1 DDDUEL2

Difficulty​

Special Requirement​

Project Overview​

Build Instruction​

Code​

Player 1 code​

Player 2 code​

Operating Instructions​